Community College Council takes over Southern, President placed on administrative leave

The West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education voted to take over Southern's Board of Governors and replaced Southern's President.

MT GAY An emergency meeting of the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education ended with a take over of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College and the ousting of the President Dr. Pamela Alderman.

The decision Monday morning is just the latest in a bitter dispute between Alderman, Southern’s Board of Governors and the state community and technical college system.

Back last month on March nineteenth, Vice Chancellor with the state CTC Chris Treadway leveled numerous accusations at President Alderman during a public meeting of Southern’s Board of Governor’s. Treadway described an alleged pattern of poor decision making on the part of President Alderman and her administration, ranging from claims of nepotism and mismanagement of funds to retaliatory firings.

“We have lost all confidence in the president’s ability to continue to lead this institution,” he said. “Our board is the board that would have to approve any further contract renewals, and it is our recommendation to our board that, if a contract comes back to us for this president, that they not approve it.”

Monday’s meeting was different from that March meeting. Unlike with Southern’s Board of Governor’s last month, the council voted to enter executive session and discuss the matter behind closed doors.

Ultimately, the council voted unanimously to commandeer Southern and replace the president. Alderman was placed on administrative leave indefinitely and stripped of the presidency. He contract ends June 30th. Dr. Corley Dennison was hired as the interim president at a salary of $195,000.

Council Chairwoman Christina Cameron says the accusations are ones the council takes seriously.

“This is not something we as a council have taken lightly,” Cameron said. “It was a hard decision to make.”

Alderman and the Southern WVCTC Board of Governors have been adversarial for months before the March 19th meeting. Most of the council’s recommendations were adopted by Southern’s Board of Governors last month that included limiting many of the tasks the president could perform.

An independent third party to investigate the allegations by the state before making any further decisions was approved by Southern’s board.

PHOTO | Southern